An ink jet recording apparatus has an ink jet recording head mounted on a carriage. The ink jet recording head is provided with pressure generation means for applying pressure to pressure generation chambers and nozzle openings for discharging the pressurized ink as ink droplets from the nozzle openings. The ink jet recording apparatus is configured so that the ink jet recording apparatus is continuously printable while ink of an ink cartridge is supplied to the recording head via a pass. The ink cartridge is configured so as to be attachable to and detachable from the recording apparatus so that the ink cartridge is easily changeable by the user at the time when the ink is completely consumed.
Conventionally, as a method of managing an ink consumption of the ink cartridge, there are a method of managing an ink consumption by performing calculations of adding up the number of ink droplets discharged from the recording head and a volume of ink absorbed due to the maintenance using a software, a method of managing a point in time at which the ink is actually consumed by mounting electrodes on the ink cartridge for detecting an ink level and the like.
As to the method of managing an ink consumption by performing calculations of an ink consumption by means of adding up the number of discharging ink droplets and a volume of the ink using a software, there are some problems that an error is generated due to the form of printing of the user side and a large error is generated when the same ink cartridge is mounted again. The error not to be negligible is generated between the calculated ink consumption and the actual volume of consumption due to the use circumstance.
The method of managing a point in time at which the ink is consumed using electrodes can manage whether the ink is present or absent with a high degree of reliability since an actual volume of the ink can be detected. However, since the detection of an ink level depends on the electrical conductivity of ink, kinds of inks for use are limited, and a sealing structure of electrodes becomes complex. Moreover, since usually precious metal having a good conductivity and corrosion resistance is used as a material for the electrodes, the manufacturing cost of the ink cartridge is increased. Furthermore, since two pieces of electrodes are required to be mounted, the number of steps of manufacturing it is increased, and as a result, the manufacturing cost is increased.
Then, a method of detecting a liquid level of the ink by detecting a change of acoustic impedance using a piezoelectric device utilizing a piezoelectric material is proposed. In the method of detecting a liquid level of the ink using a piezoelectric device, whether the ink is present or absent can be managed in a high degree of reliability, the sealing structure of the electrodes are not to be a complex structure, and the manufacturing cost of the ink cartridge is low.
However, in the case where the piezoelectric device is defective, the piezoelectric device is not normally operated and erroneously judges whether the ink is present or absent within the ink cartridge. Therefore, if it can be judged whether or not the piezoelectric device is normally operated, it has an advantage over the above.
Moreover, in an ink cartridge with a defect, the reduction of an ink volume is generated due to the leakage and evaporation of the ink. Therefore, it is desired to be able to detect by the piezoelectric device that the ink cartridge is not filled with the ink of the predetermined volume due to the defect of the ink cartridge.
Moreover, even in the manufacturing an ink cartridge, if the method can confirm whether or not the ink cartridge is filled with the ink of the predetermined volume, it has an advantage over the method which is not capable of confirming it.
Furthermore, when the ink cartridge is utilized again for recycling and the like, the ink is refilled within the ink cartridge. If the method can detect whether or not the ink of the predetermined volume is actually present or not within the ink cartridge after the ink refilling, the method has an advantage over the method which is not capable of detecting it.
Furthermore, it is desirable to be able to detect the cases where the ink cartridge is not properly mounted and where the ink jet recording apparatus is gradient, based on a gradient of the liquid level. Thereby, the ink jet recording apparatus is prevented from performing a poor printing.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for controlling an ink jet recording apparatus based on the obtained result of whether or not there is a defect of a liquid detecting function by a piezoelectric device.
Moreover, an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid container capable of confirming that the liquid of the predetermined volume presents within the liquid container during manufacturing the liquid container, and after manufacturing the same.
Furthermore, other objects of the present invention are to provide a liquid container capable of detecting that the predetermined volume of the ink is not contained in the liquid container due to defects of the liquid container and/or the piezoelectric device, and to provide a method and an apparatus for controlling an ink jet recording apparatus based on the detected results of ink volume.
Still further, other objects of the present invention are to provide a liquid container capable of detecting a gradient of the liquid container in the case, e.g., where the liquid container is not properly mounted, and to provide a method and an apparatus for controlling an ink jet recording apparatus based on the detected results of an ink volume.
Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to provide a liquid container and an ink jet recording apparatus capable of easily and precisely detecting an ink volume within the liquid container.